Attorney may seek change of venue for Burk murder trial
William White | Opelika-Auburn News
File Photo: Courtney Larrell Lockhart, 23, of Smiths Station, is charged with three counts of capital murder in the March 4 death of Auburn University freshman Lauren Burk, 18.
A change of venue for accused murderer Courtney Lockhart will be necessary to ensure he gets a fair trial, his appointed defense attorney Joel Collins said Wednesday.
“I think it’s a given because of all the publicity,” Collins said. “And you’ve got Auburn University there and how strongly they’re behind the family of the decedent. I hate it for the family, but my job is to represent the defendant and make sure he gets a fair trial.”
Lee County District Attorney Nick Abbett said discussion of a change of venue was “premature” at this point.
“A change of venue is not something you can do until you get a jury up there and find out whether publicity has been so pervasive the defendant can’t get a fair trial,” Abbett said. “… That’s a long time down the road.”
Lockhart, 23, of Smiths Station, is charged with three counts of capital murder in the March 4 death of Auburn University freshman Lauren Burk, 18, of Marietta, Ga.
Collins said he had heard strong sentiment in the community about the case.
“I know there is no way you could pick people from Lee County and (they would) not be biased and believe what’s already been said,” he said.
Collins said he thought many people forget that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
“A lot of people take what the police say and already make up their mind, which under the circumstances would make it very difficult to get a fair trial in Lee County,” he said.
Collins said he had not seen the police reports that say Lockhart confessed the murder to police.
“I haven’t had a chance to read the statement yet or discuss them with my client,” he said.
Lockhart is charged with capital murder during a robbery, capital murder during a kidnapping and capital murder during a rape.
According to the affidavits read aloud during Lockhart’s initial court appearance Monday, Lockhart told police that he robbed and kidnapped Burk on the AU campus, then drove her in her car, forced her to remove her clothes, shot her with a handgun, drove her car back to campus and set the vehicle on fire.
Reader Reactions
The only ‘change of venue’ this scumbag needs is a plot and a pine box!
I personally hope that the defense lawyer does everything by the book so that there are no opportunities for an appeal.
I do not understand why the laws have not been changed to save tax payers dollars from being wasted in cases like this one. The guy confessed to this crime and was seen committing another one in Newnan,Ga. leading to his getting caught in the first place. He does not need a change in venue. He needs to be taken to the Court house lawn and shot just like he shot the victim but left there for all to see in case someone else is thinking about trying a crime like this.
There’s always a scum defense attorney to go along with the scum criminals. A good appointed attorney (who actually had morals) would just process him through to the letter of the law and not try to fight it. As far as I’m concerned, any attorney who does anything to help this scum get away with the murder is just as guilty as the scum. Remember, the police have a confession.
He’s already confessed! Stick’em in the ground 6’under! Why waste taxpayers money on trying this murderer!
Why is it that you don’t report where this trial is going to held and where this report is coming from??? Is it because it’s Opelika and you want people to think that everything is from Auburn?? I think so. I’ve read your reports and you purposely and consistently leave out any reference to Opelika playing a role in this tragedy. I’ve contacted the AJC, Mont Adv, WRBL, Fox News and a few others to let them know that the indictment, incarceration and upcoming trial will be held in Opelika. I told them that it was the County Seat of Lee County and that Auburn is not. Too bad that the local “fish wrapper” that you are can’t be factual to the national media when they are in the spot light. Again, you show your true mentality: Orange and Blue and it screams War Eagle all the time. One of these days there will be a better paper there. Hopefully!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Why does this man need a trial? He CONFESSED to the crime. He should enter a guilty plea and be done with it.
This is what taxpayers money goes for. Get rid of him and see that my taxes goes for something worth while.
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